Born Twice is the debut album by Christian singer - songwriter Randy Stonehill.
It was released in 1971 on One Way Records. The album was produced and arranged by Larry Norman. Norman also did the photography. Born Twice cost, at the time, $800 to make and record. Stonehill said of the album that it sounded "like every penny of it." It was backed and financed by American entertainer Pat Boone.
Fewer than ten thousand copies were pressed, making it a prized collector's item. The album consists of half a dozen acoustic songs, including an early version of "I Love You" (Stonehill re-recorded two new versions of this track for the 1973 Christian film Time to Run). The song "Norman's Kitchen" is about Stonehill's conversion after his arrest on drug charges. Norman and Stonehill were washing dishes and Stonehill got a wake-up call after his experience. Norman prayed for Stonehill and he was born again, hence the name of the album. Also included is "I Need You" from the Christian musical Show Me!, from which Stonehill was in the lead role.
Born Twice also has live tracks with the band White Light. Stonehill also performs a couple of covers including the Top 5 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Put Your Hand in the Hand" (originally recorded by the Canadian band Ocean) and "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands." The Side Two track "He Is a Friend of Mine" was replaced by the Norman-written holiday track "Christmastime" in later pressings of the album.
The 1991 re-pressing of Born Twice came with an extra vinyl of a live album titled Judgment Day at the Speede Mart. It is an otherwise unreleased album consisting entirely of live performances culled from several early 1970's concerts of Stonehill singing mostly Larry Norman songs. It was issued in a normal single slip cover from the "Christmastime" version of Born Twice. A YouTube link to listen to the albums is posted below this article.
Track listing of the 1973 reissue of Born Twice
All songs were written by Randy Stonehill, except where noted.
1. I Need You (Jimmy Owens) -3:46
2. Hand In the Hand (Gene MacLellan) -3:13
3. He's Got the Whole World (public domain; arranged by Randy Stonehill) -4:11
4. Help Me Lord -4:28
5. Thank You (Jimmy Owens) -4:23
6. Never Can Repay -2:23
7. All Right Now -3:07
8. Passing Stranger -6:12
9. I Love You -2:55
10. Christmastime (Larry Norman; additional lyrics by Randy Stonehill) -2:31
11. Norman's Kitchen -3:57
Track listing for Judgment Day at the Speede Mart
All songs were written by Larry Norman, except where noted.
1. Forget Your Hexagram -2:54
2. Why Don't You Look Into Jesus -2:33
3. Lonely By Myself -3:49
4. God's Not Dead -2:48
5. I Am a Servant -3:12
6. Norman's Kitchen (Randy Stonehill) -6:26
7. Pardon Me -3:47
8. Sunset Road to Nowhere (Randy Stonehill) -4:05
9. Hasty Heart -3:48
10. He Is a Friend of Mine (public domain; arranged by Randy Stonehill) -4:07
Next release: Get Me Out of Hollywood (1973)
Listen to the 1973 reissue of Born Twice here:
Listen to the track "He Is a Friend of Mine" here:
Listen to the unreleased live album Judgment Day at the Speede Mart here:
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